How to change the oil

Table of Contents

1. How to change the oil

This is a how to for changing the oil on a 2010 Honda Civic.

1.1. Tools & supplies

  • 17mm ratchet (in the old
  • Nitrile gloves
  • Rags
  • Synthetic motor oil (5W-20)
  • Oil filter
  • Oil collection pan
  • Clean funnel
  • Dirty funnel
  • Ramps
  • 2x6 blocks of wood
  • Chock blocks (wedges of wood)
  • Large piece of cardboard (to lay on)
  • Containers for old oil

1.2. Steps

  1. Line up the ramps in front of the car. Put the ramps as close to the front wheels as possible. Make sure you're on a solid surface that the ramps won't sink into. You wouldn't want to be under the car when the ramps sink into the ground (hint: you could die).
  2. Place the wood blocks between the ramps and the wheels. The blocks prevent the metal ramps from messing up the plastic bumper cover (any more than it already is).
  3. Carefully drive the car up onto the ramps. Make sure you don't overshoot and drive past the end of the ramps.
  4. Put the car in park, turn off the engine, and put the parking brake on.
  5. Put the chock blocks in front and behind one of the back wheels.
  6. Put the oil collection pan under the oil pan under the front of the car. Put the cardboard down in the spot where you'll lay.
  7. Put on nitrile gloves. You don't want to get the motor oil on your skin, as it's a known carcinogen (and it stinks and is really hard to wash off).
  8. Get down under the car and use the ratchet to loosen the oil pan nut. Once it's loose, use your fingers to unscrew and remove it the rest of the way. Be careful it doesn't fall into the oil collection pan hole.
  9. Let the oil run out until it starts dripping (as opposed to a solid stream).
  10. Remove the old oil filter and let the oil drain out a little bit longer.
  11. Remove the magnets from the old oil filter. (The magnets supposedly help remove ferrous particles, but I question the efficacy. The magnets have lost a lot of their strength since I've put them on… probably because of how hot they get.).
  12. Prepare the new filter by dipping your finger in the new oil and rubbing it around the gasket.
  13. Screw on the new oil filter. As soon as the gasket makes contact with the metal, screw it another 3/4 of a turn.
  14. Put the magnets back on the filter. (Can't hurt.)
  15. Screw the oil pan nut on. "Hand-tight, plus a little more."
  16. Remove the oil filler cap, wipe down the clean funnel, and put the clean funnel in the oil fill port.
  17. Add 3.8 qts of new synthetic oil, checking the level with the dip stick several times near the end to avoid over-filling. The final level should be near the top of the range indicated on the stick.
  18. Put the oil filler cap back on. Move the oil collection pan out from under the car.
  19. Start the engine and visually check for oil leaks under the car. Back the car off of the ramps.
  20. Using the dirty funnel, pour the old oil from the oil collection pan into a container for old oil.
  21. Reset the Maintenance Minder code and oil percentage remaining by holding down the reset button twice.
  22. Record the oil change in the maintenance log, including the date, mileage, and supplies used (including part numbers).

Created: 2024-10-22 Tue 09:54

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